DeepSummary
The transcript discusses the EPA's new regulations aimed at reducing pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants. One rule requires many new gas and existing coal power plants to control 90% of their carbon emissions if they plan to operate beyond 2039. Three other rules specifically target the coal industry, requiring it to clean up toxic metal emissions, wastewater pollution, and coal ash management.
Jody Freeman, a professor at Harvard Law School and former Obama administration official, explains that the EPA is trying to provide a comprehensive roadmap for the power sector to plan investments and comply with pollution control rules. She argues that the rules align with the ongoing transition towards cleaner energy sources driven by market forces.
Freeman addresses criticisms from opponents who argue that the rules, particularly the reliance on carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology, are unrealistic and will undermine energy system reliability. She contends that the EPA has built a strong record to support the rules and that the agency is on solid legal ground, although legal challenges are expected.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The EPA's new regulations aim to reduce pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants, including a requirement for many existing coal plants to control 90% of carbon emissions after 2039.
- The rules provide a comprehensive roadmap for the power sector to plan investments and comply with pollution control measures.
- The regulations align with the ongoing transition towards cleaner energy sources driven by market forces.
- Industry opponents argue that the reliance on carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology is unrealistic and could undermine energy system reliability.
- The legal expert contends that the EPA has built a strong record to support the rules and is on solid legal ground, although legal challenges are expected.
- The current Supreme Court is seen as deeply skeptical of environmental regulations, potentially posing a challenge for the new rules.
- The expert believes that Congress should update environmental laws more frequently to allow agencies to better adapt to new challenges and technologies.
- Overall, the expert expresses confidence in the ability of the existing energy system and market forces to manage the transition to cleaner energy sources required by the new regulations.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “If you're going to do something about pollution, about climate change, and about pollution that's harmful to human health, which, coal fired pollution happens to be very damaging to human health, and there are toxic pollutants that are emitted from coal fired power plants that affect public health quite separately from greenhouse gases.“ by Jody Freeman
- “So if you put all of these cases together, it's very hard not to conclude that the court is deeply skeptical about regulation and environmental regulation in particular.“ by Jody Freeman
- “I think what the agency would say here is there's plenty of time to get into compliance, and you have to remember that it's unclear how many of the facilities really will use, really would install ccs as opposed to doing the other things they can do to get into compliance.“ by Jody Freeman
- “I think we have a system here that's very capable of managing the transition that these standards are part of and that the market is really already driving anyway.“ by Jody Freeman
Entities
Organization
Company
Person
Legal
Episode Information
Columbia Energy Exchange
Columbia University
5/14/24
In April, the Environmental Protection Agency passed four new rules to reduce pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants.
One of the new rules requires many new gas and existing coal power plants to control 90 percent of their carbon pollution if they plan to operate beyond 2039. The other three rules specifically target coal, requiring the industry to clean up various parts of the value chain including toxic metal emissions from power generation, wastewater pollution, and coal ash management.
And while the Biden Administration and other proponents consider the new rules a step in the right direction, opponents argue they will undermine the reliability of energy systems.
So, how will the EPA’s new regulations impact the energy industry? What makes these standards different from previous attempts to regulate energy emissions? And how might opponents try to overturn them?
This week host Bill Loveless talks with Jody Freeman about the technicalities of the new EPA power plant rules, and the legal avenues opponents might pursue to overturn them.
Jody is the Archibald Cox professor of law and the founding director of the Harvard Law School Environmental & Energy Law Program. From 2009-2010, she served as a counselor for energy and climate change in the Obama White House. Jody has also previously served on the Advisory Council of the Electric Power Research Institute and as an independent director of ConocoPhillips.